Community Radio for Peacebuilding

The Case of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Southern Philippines

Abstract

Southern Philippines has a history of ethno-religious conflict making efforts in peacebuilding desirable but obviously challenging. In this context, traditional media is limited in its accessibility among various constituents of this region. However, local radio programming offers opportunities for overcoming these communication constraints. Guided by the perpetual peacebuilding paradigm, in this descriptive case study we explore the role of three (3) radio stations in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and their contributions towards local peacebuilding. Our findings highlight key areas of interest communicated via radio-based such as peace-related programs emphasizing religious teachings, advocacy for indigenous rights, and health literacy. Local media producers often made use of peace taglines within daily radio programs and practiced conflict-sensitive journalism in instances of news coverage regarding violent conflict and natural disasters. Overall, these radio stations often employed hyperlocalized strategies that facilitated contextualized communications via on-air programs, with a distinct multichannel approach which sought to strengthen interactions between local stakeholders.